Year-end report means $15M tossed from SC budget

South Carolina's lower-than-expected surplus means $15 million worth of projects disappears from the state budget.

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:56:11 GMT —

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina's lower-than-expected surplus means $15 million worth of projects disappears from the state budget.

That includes money for flood control in Darlington County, a flight academy for students at Patriots Point in Charleston Harbor, and bridge replacement at Kings Mountain State Park.

The state's chief accountant says the surplus for 2011-12 came in $14.7 million less than economic advisers projected.

The Legislature designated nearly $400 million in anticipated surplus as part of the 2012-13 budget. Those one-time designations were to be funded in the order listed, after Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom closed the books for last fiscal year. That happened Wednesday.

About 20 items at the bottom of the list won't be funded. Darlington County was slated to get $600,000 toward building a five-mile canal and retention pond.